


Full Rainbow

by RonniRotten



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Manipulation, Threats of Violence, because that is exactly what this is, so enjoy the entire dumpster fire, so maybe i posted the full thing out of spite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2020-01-04 23:33:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18354014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RonniRotten/pseuds/RonniRotten
Summary: After the events of SvS, Roman has made it his mission to help Patton off the pedestal he formed for himself, and to bring Virgil down with him. The star players in this performance, Deceit and his friends from the other side.





	Full Rainbow

It was usually so bright and lively in the hallway outside Roman’s room. But if Patton were paying attention he might have noticed the dull aura coming from the door and the stagnant stale air engulfing him. He wrote it off as an effect of dealing with Deceit. The trial certainly took a toll on his handsome prince. That's why he was there, to comfort Roman.

Patton giggled and knocked on the door, imitating a familiar rhythm, “Shave and a Haircut.” Normally Roman would knock twice before greeting Patton with a warm embrace and sweep him off his feet. This time Roman just opened the door, weary and no longer decked in his princely attire, but rather an old t-shirt and Mickey mouse pajama bottoms

“Heya kiddo, I wanted to tell you how happy I am that you agree with me about Thomas going to the wedding.” he beamed. He was going to go on about how proud he was when the inevitable smile crept onto Roman’s face. But it didn't.

“I don't.” he grumbled and leaned against the door frame. It seemed he was taking sass lessons from Virgil. Patton blinked, not sure he heard right.

“What?”

“I didn't agree with you, and I still don't.” Roman clarified, staring Patton down tiredly. Nothing about his demeanor was welcoming–his proud pout, the raging fire in his eyes, the defensive way his arms were crossed. 

“Then why–?” Patton began only for Roman to scoffed.

“Because there’s this thing that Logan and I both notice and agree on,” Roman cut him off harshly and stood up straight, “You get your way, you always get your way in every single video no matter how it hurts the rest of us.”

“What do you mean?” Patton gasped, his eyes watering. Crocodile tears, that's what they were, they only further enraged the defeated prince.

“I constantly trash my dreams, as does Logan! No matter what. You. Get. Your. Way. Isn’t that right,  _ Dad _ ?” he snarled, emphasizing the last word with a venomous tone.

“Roman?” Patton whimpered with wide eyes.

“Oh cut it with the innocent puppy shtick! We both know it's not real—and I'm not falling for it again.”

“Alright Roman,” Patton sighed, toning down his attempted pity party, “Why don't you clear this up for your old man. What's this all about?”

“Logan and I are tired of constantly bending to your will. You think we brush your ideas off so much because we think they're stupid? No, it's because if we don't say our pieces first, Thomas won't listen. He listens to you. And almost exclusively you.”

“I can't really help it that Thomas has a strong moral compass—”

“Don't mistake me, I know he does, but he has a strong sense of logic, an insatiable desire to create, and a nasty bout of anxiety. And yet it always comes back to you getting what you want, and you ensure it too.” Roman counted off on his fingers and sneered. 

“What are you getting at, Son?” Patton asked seriously. Roman's glare burned through him and the prince stood at his full height.

“The feigned innocence, the incessant begging and pleading, the flattery, guilt trips—I am tired of being manipulated into feeling like garbage for wanting something for Thomas alone instead of Thomas and friends. I am tired of suffering the wrath that comes with 'being a bad person.’” he jabbed Patton in the chest with a finger and tried to keep from exploding.

“But Roman you aren't—”

“Patton you aren't going to change my mind or what you said. You always get your way, you have me in a moral chokehold and I will not let it deter me from saying what must be said.”

“Why don't you go ahead and sum it up there, Champ.” Patton ordered in his sternest fatherly tone. Roman let out a bitter laugh at the shift in Patton's demeanor.

“You have too much control and it's gone to your head. I don't know how much you realize it, but you are such a hypocrite. Don't lie, see the good in people, love your neighbor—unless he's Deceit, right? Give up your own wants to aid a friend—when was the last time you did that with us?”

“Roman—”

“No. Go ahead and ponder on that for a while. I have to find a way to distract Thomas from this loss before my guests arrive.”

“Guests?” Patton asked. Roman closed the door in his face. The dullness in the hallway morphed into something much more sinister, more unknown. Patton left, utterly lost and defeated, before the shadows could taint his thoughts. Bitter loneliness began to sink in. He had all the answer he needed.

 

The second Roman closed the door, leaving Patton to reflect, his room was full of shadows, all of which crowded around him. He scowled and walked forward into the abyss, confident that they would move out of his way. They did only passing over him to change his outfit. Gone were the pajamas and suddenly a prince waltzed to his throne. But not Cinderella’s Prince Charming, or the fiery Prince Philip. Roman donned a puffy black shirt with a blood red vest and a flowing short cape. He adjusted the gloves on his hands as his prideful front consumed him.

“You can come out of hiding, now.” Roman huffed as he willed the shadows away. He sat on his iron throne, glancing up at the vaulted ceilings. In an instant three hazy shrouded figures appeared.

“Prince Roman,” one hummed as he bowed politely, “It’s been far too long since you’ve summoned us.”

“Not since back when there were four of you.” Roman continued his sentiment, “After I swallowed and accepted my pride.”

“Indeed,” the figure who spoke rose and stepped into the dim light meant for Roman, “So what prompted this change? Can't think of a decent conflict for another short video?”

“Your trial, Deceit. What else?”

“You’ve finally grown tired of their game. About time.”

“If only little Orphan Anxy could see.” A different figure snarled and glared at the pair with glowing orange eyes.

“He knows exactly what path he chose. We were never good enough for him.” the last figure scoffed bitterly. Roman swore he saw a tear roll from his green eyes.

“In any case, I have a reason for summoning you.” Roman droned.

“Is it because you want the rest of us to loosen Morality’s stranglehold on Thomas’ decision making? Because I’ve been trying, even despite your own ignorance.”

“Deceit you wound me,” Roman gasped and held a hand to his heart, “I might have been naive while Patton was in the room, but I am as of now, far less clouded by the ideal.”

“Are you suggesting–?”

“I am. It’s time to introduce a few shades of gray into the equation, for everyone. The word compromise will be added to Patton's vocabulary, in depth, and in doing so we might very well achieve a better balance than before. In short I am on your side.”

“Like you added so much more black to your get up?” orange-eyes scoffed.

“I’m scheming! I have to look the part!” Roman whined, breaking character.

“Allow him his theatrics.” Deceit shushed the other, “He put on quite the show to get rid of Mortality. But how do we do it?”

“Morality. He's Morality. He needs to see his own stains. His humanity. His own compromises. He needs to know they don’t diminish him, or any of us. And you are just the man for the job.” Roman cooed. Deceit smirked and shook his head. He had yet to impersonate two of the 'light sides’ and Roman was not the side who could reach Patton. Fortunately it was the side Deceit knew best.

“How devious. It's a shame you chose Creativity over Pride, it suits your ego.” Roman brushed him off and addressed the others. 

“You two have a more pressing matter to deal with.” Roman said to the others, “Once I summon Anxiety, you are to keep him here while I negotiate with him. And if you so much as touch me again while I am trying to be civil, it will be your left arms!”

* * *

Patton inched closer to Virgil's room, dreading the conversation he was about to have. He was terrified, just being in proximity to the panic room, but his tear-stained cheeks and quivering lip might make it easier for Virgil to lower the fear factor, and that's all he wanted them to do. He was not going to be manipulative and he was not going to hold Virgil to anything. He could prove Roman wrong!

“Hey Virge?” he sniffled and knocked on the door. It opened immediately and Virgil was standing there in his old hoodie. Patton was not amused.

“Deceit, where's Virgil?”

“I am Virgil. I can't find my regular hoodie.”

“Prove it!”

“Um, okay, I still sleep with Pattington Bear, the stuffed toy you kept since Thomas was four and rescued from your room.”

“That's right. I guess it really is you!” 

“Yeah, so, uh, what's up? You look kinda—”

“Can we talk?” Patton cut him off abruptly, making Virgil's eyes go wide.

“You wanna go to the common room? I don't think mine is the best place if you're upset.” Virgil suggested with his hands in his pockets. Patton nodded and sank out.

When Patton rose up on the couch, Virge was idly waiting for him, in his patchwork hoodie.

“Hey. I thought you said you lost that.” Patton noted suspiciously. True to his nature Virgil shrugged him off.

“I found it. Don't tell me you think I'm that snake-face in disguise. Like I would let him near my stuff!”

“I guess you have a point.” Patton giggled and wiped his eyes.

“Now what's up?”

“I just got into a little spat with Roman. It was probably just him blowing off steam after he chose to go to the wedding.”

“Blowing off steam doesn't leave you with tears and a tomato face. What did he say?”

“He said I was selfish and manipulative. Just like Deceit.”

* * *

“You told him what!?” Virgil snapped at Roman, his voice echoing off the palace walls.

“It was improv! I had to get rid of him!”

“No! You don't accuse one of your best friends of being an overbearing toxic control freak! You could have said you were tired! You could have told him you don't agree but oh well the choice was made! How could you do something like that to the biggest pillar of support we have!?”

“I wasn't thinking clearly! I had the angry one breathing down my neck, and the insecure one at my heels. The only dark side who laid off was Deceit!”

“That's no excuse!”

“I never said it was! It's a reason why you shouldn't think me entirely cruel and heartless!”

“Because watching my kidnapper imitate me and trick my best friend into talking with a slippery snake disguised as me definitely aren't reasons for me to think that! And how the hell did you know about Pattington!?”

“I brought you here to try to convince you that Deceit isn't as horrible as you claim. You're just scared how he and the others will treat you when the rest of us realize you're still Anxiety and still by nature a dark side.” Roman responded, ignoring that last question. Virgil’s eyes went wide.

* * *

“That’s not true!” 'Virgil’ huffed at what Patton had said. Patton nodded sheepishly and rubbed his eyes.

“But I am selfish–I don't want to lose what I have, my friends, control, my image. I lie all the time and I admit sometimes I pull on people's heartstrings. I'm a bad person, Virge.”

“No you aren't. You have wants and needs that you have every right to attend to. But you also take time for your family and friends. Sure you try to keep up this innocent kid act, and it doesn’t exactly work all the time, Pops, but at the end of the day you do your best to be there for us.”

“But I could be doing more for you guys if I didn’t have my own problems!”

“You want the rest of us to be good people too, right? How are any of us supposed to be good friends if we can’t help the one person who helps everyone? How are you supposed to keep being that friend when you’re burnt out?”

“Huh, when you put it that way,” Patton hummed and tapped his chin, “you have a point.”

“It’s perfectly normal to have to put yourself first. Just be mindful when it’s more important for you to do that.”

“You’re the best, Virge!” Patton chuckled and pulled him in for a hug.

* * *

“You’re the worst, Princey!” Virgil spat and glared over his shoulder at the two formless sides guarding the door, “You won’t keep me from getting to Patton and setting things straight!”

“We’re all gay, that won’t be happening.” Roman chuckled, “Now why don’t you admit that you’re still in touch with those less than favorable traits. I’ve embraced mine, and I’ve never felt more secure.”

“Roman!” Virgil snapped out of disbelief.

“I'm still the dashing, heroic prince of your dreams, I'm just flawed, like anybody. I am egotistical and proud, but I'm no different than when I denied it–wait no, I am a lot more comfortable with myself now.”

“That doesn’t make it a good thing!”

“I have been enlightened, and not by any one side alone. Wrath over there, he’s quite the fighter and fairly easy to set off, but our orange boy is and orange belt and his fighting spirit is aimed at defense.” Roman hummed and motioned to the side, who stepped forward, out of the shadows and around Virgil to face him. He looked like Thomas, but with brown feathers around his eyes and dressed in a bad Lui Kang costume from Mortal Kombat.

“Are you still gonna abandon us Anxiety? Leave us to rot?” Wrath asked and cracked his knuckles. Virgil sneered at him and spat at his feet.

“Have some restraint Virgil!” Roman ordered, he had control in his domain. Virgil glared at him and hissed.

“He hasn’t changed a bit.” Wrath mumbled.

“And of course, there’s our green-eyed monster, Envy. What you don’t realize is how often he’s humility hit with drive. He’s quite charming when he’s not lusting after some prize.” Roman said, waving Envy forward. The Joseph Joestar cosplayer with whiskers made his way around the surprisingly unbound ball of fear and crouched to look him in the eye, flipping his scarf over his shoulder as he did so.

“Weren’t we enough for you? What did they have that we couldn’t provide.”

“Obviously Thomas’ ear.” Roman cut him off, “And if all goes well, you won’t have to choose light or dark anymore.”

“Roman.”

“Do you want a professional opinion? The opinion of the only one who can’t handle relying on opinion? That can be arranged.” Roman purred darkly. Virgil swallowed thickly. He didn’t know of any other dark sides, and Deceit sure didn’t fit the bill.

* * *

“Deceit!?” Patton shrieked and jumped back. Someone couldn’t keep up his disguise with that much physical contact. Deceit smiled sheepishly and rubbed his neck. Oh this would be fun!

“So I really am a bad person!?”

“No, you most certainly aren’t. Everything I said just now was and is the truth. It’s up to you to believe those words.”

“But you always work against me!”

“That’s an absolutist statement, a terrible cognitive-”

“A cognitive distortion?”

“Indeed. Roman’s emotionally charged words were also magnified, and mostly untrue.”

“Mostly?”

“You are all strong parts of Thomas. Thomas does take your word to heart more than the others, but he doesn’t completely reject anyone of you ‘light sides.’”

“So why are you doing this?”

“I intend to take you off of your pedestal and help you come back down to join the rest of us. Your quest for moral perfection is taking its toll.”

“How so?”

“You cover up your feelings for their sake, and yet you know that only hurts you. You listen to their woes, but who hears yours? You aren’t perfect, but you want to trick them into thinking you can be. And you don’t have to do that, they’ll still care for you, even if you fall back into that emo phase.”

“I just feel bad whenever I make things about me.” Patton admitted wearily. Deceit tutted and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“Aren’t you an important person? When you make time to take care of yourself, aren’t you taking care of someone they all cherish? Aren’t you doing them a service by doing yourself a service?”

“Are you trying to trick me into becoming selfish like you?”

“If I were all that selfish, would I be sitting here giving you advice instead of reading?”

“No, I guess things like that aren’t always in black and white.”

“There are many shades of gray. And beyond that, there’s a rainbow of color to consider–different morals, different cultural norms, different opinions.”

“That makes sense.” Patton smiled softly, “Maybe you’re not so bad after all.”

“We don’t see eye to eye, but I am willing to make compromises if you are.”

“Next time we have a callback and a wedding on the same day we’ll talk to our friends and strive to do both.”

“Welcome to the earth, Patton, where total sacrifice isn’t mandatory.” Deceit chuckled and kissed his forehead. Patton wrapped his arms around him and pulled the snake-side into his lap.

“Thanks!” he giggled, “So why was Roman acting so strange before?”

**_Bam!_ **

“Stop him!”

“Anxiety!”

“Why did you describe me like that Roman!”

“It was for the drama!”

Virgil skidded to a halt next to the couch and stared. His jaw hit the floor when Patton beamed and waved at him.

“What the–” Virgil started, only to have Wrath, Envy, and Roman crash into him and knock him to the floor. Logan followed behind much more calmly and cleared his throat.

“Heya Logan! What’s with the party?”

“I assume this is Roman’s attempt to coax Virgil into admitting he is a dark side, and accepting it as a neutral trait as opposed to a flaw. His last attempt was to summon me, claiming I am a being dictated by facts without empathy.”

“Roman!”

“I didn’t put it that way! I said opinion wouldn’t sway him!” Roman argued from his pile.

“You kidnapped me!” Virgil snarled.

“You were free to move about the room! And it was only for an hour!”

“Kidnapping is wrong, Ro.” Patton chided, “Consent is everything!”

“It is.” Deceit agreed.

“So there are both ‘light’ and ‘dark’ sides here, am I to assume there is some overarching issue that Thomas has yet to address?” Logan asked, adjusting his glasses and tie to appear as if he had a clue what was going on. This was one of those times he would have rather been excluded.

“Nope!” Roman cheered, “If I can make you sound like a ‘dark side’ and get a reaction like that from Virgil, I think I can convince everyone that I made a huge mistake when I came up with both phrases.”

“You couldn’t do it in a less dramatic way?” Wrath groaned. Roman gasped and sputtered indignantly.

“Of course not, this show-off is always dramatic.” Envy groaned.

“Don’t talk shit about Roman!” Virgil snapped.

“Mmm, no.” Envy hissed and stuck out his tongue.

“You wanna go!?”

“Bring it eight-eyes!” Wrath spat.

“Eight eyes?” Patton asked Deceit.

“I’m a snake, Wrath is an owl, Envy is a cat, and Virgil is a spider. It’s all a part of being an instinctual aspect.”

“Spider!?”

“Instinctual aspect. I like the sound of that!” Roman laughed, “Now there will be no question that we’re all gray in some way!”

“You came to that revelation by yourself?” Patton gasped coming back from his moment of terror, “That’s amazing Ro! I’m so proud of you! And I forgive you for saying those mean things!”

“You forgive too easily, Padre, and you can blame these two knuckleheads as well for making it as harsh as it was!”

“Hey!” Wrath and Envy snapped.

“You know you did!” Roman countered.

“I can forgive you easily, but don’t think I’ll forget it, young man. I don’t care what shade of gray you are!” Patton laughed. Deceit rolled his eyes.

“I would argue that we are all full rainbow.” he smirked.

“Well Thomas is full rainbow 100% of the time!” Roman laughed, “Just look at us! Colorful and imperfect! And I feel as smart as Logan!”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Roman.” Logan teased, “And Virgil might still want to cause you injury you after your stunt.” By some miracle, Virgil did escape the bottom of the pile, and set his sights on Roman.

“You’re dead meat Princey!” he snarled.

“And I will revel in my victory later! Farewell!” Roman said hurriedly before sinking out. He made it just in time. Virgil pounced and landed on the ground with a thud.

“Alright children, playtime is over.” Deceit tutted. Logan and Patton shared a look as the three angry sides sank out into their respective rooms.

“I suppose I will leave as well. Unless you need me to help with further negotiations.”

“No thanks, Lo,” Patton hummed, “I think we can be mature here.” Logan nodded and sank out as well.

“Can we be mature?” Deceit questioned, “I have my doubts.”

“If we want to be mature, if not, I have play doh!”

“Delicious.”


End file.
